Protective guard for flush valve handles



March 23, 1954 R. w. DOWNIN PROTECTIVE GUARD FOR FLUSH VALVE HANDLES Filed April 30, 1951 INVENTOR iahizd iI/Iawaz'zg. QWZW ATTORNEB n m e en e- .i IQ b ad wr fdff Patented Mar. 23, 1954 wiima mmm mm he i i 'ify'efiigion illustrated ardidejvice'jdr the, m-: fie'form' of a frame and I9 permitting access to the handle for manual actuation thereof. In a preferred construction the body portion 11 may desirably'be substantially U-shaped or trough shaped in transverse cross-section providing ppposedside wall portions 20 and 2] and a connecting wall or bight portion 22.

The body portion [1 is integrally connected with the base portion 23, which latter in turn may be, integrally formed with the nut portion 24 as in the previously described embodiment.

The protective guard device of the invention may be formed in any suitable manner and of any suitable material for carrying out the objects of the invention, and in the preferred forms illustrated in the drawings comprises a band or piece of metal suitably shaped to protect the handle and including as a part thereof a nut portion l2 adapted to serve as a valve housing nut. However, while I prefer that the guard be formed integrally with the housing nut, such construction is not essential to attain the objects of the invention as the guard may be formed separately and then attached to the nut in any suitable manner such as by pressing, threading, brazing, welding soldering, clamping, pinning, keying, bolting, use of screws and the like. In such event, of course, the guard, particularly the base portion thereof, and the nut would be suitably shaped for cooperative engagement and securing together in the manner indicated.

Although the application of this protective guard has been described as applied to a flush valve serving a plumbing fixture, the intent of this invention is to cover the application of the protective guard to flush valves wherever used.

It is believed that the foregoing description, when taken in connection with the drawing will fully set forth the construction and advantages of this invention to those skilled in the art to which such a device relates so that further detailed description will not'b'e required.

Having thusdescribed my invention, I claim:

1. A protective guard for the pivotal operating handle of a flush or like type valve comprising a base portion adapted to be secured to such a valve and having a bore for receiving a portion of the operating handle thereof, a pair of opposed arms secured to said base portion and extending laterally outward therefrom, said arms adapted to extend lengthwise of a valve handle on opposite sides thereof, a bight portion connecting the outer ends of said arms and forming therewith a substantially U'shaped member, said arms having an opening therebetween permitting actuation of such a valve handle by hand.

2. A device of the class described comprising a pivotally. mounted valve" actuating handle, means removably securing saidhandle in operative position, and a protective guard for said handle comprising a substantially U-shaped frame member secured to said securing means and extending along opposite side wall portions of said handle and aroundcthe-end thereof, said 3.. In a flush :orlikeztypevalveihav-ing an elon' 4 gated operating handle pivotally mounted thereon for movement in a plurality of directions to actuate the valve, a protective guard for the operating handle designed to permit ready actuation thereof by hand and to prevent actuation thereof by footfjsaid guard comprising a base portion having a bore therein through which said handle extends, means securing said base portion to the valve, protective side wall portions carried by said base portion and extending along opposite sides of said valve handle at least to the end thereof and in close proximity thereto,

at least one of said side wall portions having a width not substantially greater than the thickness of said valve handle and said valve handle being biased to a single inoperative position between said side wall portions, said one side wall portion having aside edge spaced from the other of said side wall portions to define an elongated opening therebetweenextending along a sid of the handle.

4. Apparatus of .the type set forth in claim 3 in which the ends of said side wall portions are connected by an intermediate bight portion.

5. Apparatus of the type set forth in claim 3 including a curved wall portion connecting said side wall portions at the side thereof opposite said elongated opening.

6. In a hand operated flush or like type valve having a pivotal actuating handle, the improvement comprising a protective guard for the operating handle designed to permit ready actuation thereof by hand andto prevent actuation thereof by foot, said protective guard comprising a base portion through which said handle extends, means for securing the base portion to the valve, a body portion secured to the base portion and extending endwise therefrom along a side of said valve handle, around the end thereof, and along the opposite side of the handle, said body portion having an open portion extending lengthwise thereof alongside a substantial portion of the length of said handle to permit manipulation of the handle by hand.

'7. A protective guard for the pivotal operating handle of a flush or like type valve comprising a base portion adapted to be secured to such a valveand having abore through which the operating handle is adapted to extend, a pair of oppositely disposed side wall portions secured to said base portion for disposition on opposite sides of such a valve handle, the opposed side edges of said wall portions being spaced apart to form openings through which at least a portion of a hand may be inserted to actuate such a valve handle when positioned between such Wall portions, and an intermediate bight portion connecting the ends of said wall portions opposite said base portion.

- ROLAND WILLARD DOWNIN.

' References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATESPATENTS Number Name Date 568,024 Gorman 1 Sept. 22, 1896 594,608 Dittbenner Nov. 30, 1897 812,021 Dahl Feb. 6, 1906 955,237 I Westcott Apr. 19, 1910 ,247,996 Parker Nov. 27, 1917 1,425,949 Ditson Aug. 15, 1922 "1,509,676 Lawrence Sept. 23, 1924 1,637,165 Leppert Oct. 9, 1928 1,692,117 Gurne Nov. 20, 1928 2,308,643 Bucknam Jan. 19, 1943 i2;5'63;978- veins-learn; hug-14', 1951" 

